Machine for sweeping stbeets



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AMZI CRANE, 0F NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

MACHINE FOR SWEEPING STREETS.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 21,743, dated October 12, 1858*.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, AMZI CRANE, of Newark, in the county of EsseX and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Machine for Sweeping Streets; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, -in which- Figure l, is a perspective view; Fig. 2, an end elevation; Fig. 3, a geometrical section of the driving apparatus; Fig. t, a view of a portion of the brush or sweeping frame, and Fig. 5, is a view of a portion of the brush frame with the grooved roller into which the backs of the brushes fit.

The same letters indicate like parts in all the drawings.

The object of my invention is t-o construct a machine for street sweeping adapted in such a manner that by the means of an endless belt of brushes operating at right angles, or diagonally to the track of the machine the sweepings are gathered and deposited in a row ready to be taken up and carted away; said brushes being so arranged and operated that they are compelled to conform to all the inequalities of the surface on which they are acting and thereby making cleaner work as the machine pro gresses. The whole machine being at the same time so arranged that by the simple movement of a lever it may be thrown entirely out of gear, and in a fit condition to be transferred from one field of labor to another, or to or from its work.

In the drawings A, is the driving wheel with a circle of cogs attached, on its inner side at B, said cogs acting when the machine is in gear, upon the beveled wheel C. C, is adjusted upon its shaft as represented, in such a manner that when the lever D, attached to the cross bar E, is thrown over from the catch F, to the catch G, (Fig. 1,) it is thrown out of its gear with B, as represented in F ig. 2, by means of the crank H, and sliding bar J. The levers K and L, with their appropriate connecting rods are for taking up the slack of the belt M, by means of the pin N, when the machine is thrown out of gear, or of pressing down the spring O, when the machine is in gear, upon the top of one of the sliding posts of the brush frame as represented by means of the pin P. The chains R, R, R, R, are attached at one end as represented, to the pulleys fastened on the cross bar E, and after passing over their respective pulleys, are respectively attached to the post S, S, S, S, of the brush frame. These posts are fitted to slide perpendicularly up and down within the four angles respectively of the main frame T, T. The sliding posts S, S, S, S, are so adjusted that when the machine is in operation, the brush frame rests by its own weight upon the spiral springs which are contained within the said posts one of which is disclosed in IV Fig. 4, thus leaving the whole frame free to conform to uneven surfaces wit-hout resting its entire weight upon the ground either as a whole or at any of its corners.

The brushes Y, Y, Y, Y, Y, Y, Y, are afliXed to the endless4 bands X, X, which are operated at right angles or diagonally to the track of the machine over the ground rollers by means of t-he belt M driven by the pulley H', and acting upon the pulley B. The backs of the brushes are formed to lit into the grooves in the rollers Z, Z, best seen at C, F ig. 5.

In place of the pulley B', a pulley might be introduced at or near the center of the machine and adapted to communicate the requisite motion to the brushes, and also obviate the present tendency of the belt M, to draw sidewise the brush frame and bind the action of the sliding posts S, S, S, S. In place of the belt to which the brushes are now attached, an endless chain might perhaps be substituted acting upon grooved or hollow pulleys or drums in place of the grooved rollers shown in the drawings.

The set screws S, S, S, S, are for the purpose of adjusting the tension of the springs W, W, W, W, in the posts S, S,v

S, S, and so adapting the brush frame to an appropriate action over the ground when the machine is in operation.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The brush or sweeping frame being so adjusted that when the machine is in operation the weight of the said frame is supported as much as may be required at its corners upon t-he springs W, W, W, W, in the posts S, S, S, S, and is free to conform to the uneven surface of the ground either as a whole or at any of its corners, substantially as described.

4. I claim the combination of the cross bar E, With the lever' D, Crank H, levers K and L, With their appropriate connections and the Chains R, R, R, R, lfor elevating or lowering the brush frame and throws the machine into or out of gear substantially in the manner and for the purpose de- 20 scribed.

AlVIZI CRANE.

Witnesses: n

DANIEL F. ToMPKINs, JOSEPH T. TOMPKINS. 

